Best cities for a planning manager

The best cities for planning managers are Nashville, TN, Pittsburgh, PA, and New Orleans, LA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for planning managers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for planning managers in the U.S.

Whether you're starting your career as a planning manager or considering a move, this list of the best cities for planning managers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for planning managers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a planning manager. While the absolute best city for planning managers is Nashville, TN, there are plenty of other great places to consider.

Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for planning managers in 2024.

If you're looking for a planning manager job, here are five companies hiring now:

10 best cities for planning managers in 2026

1. Nashville, TN

Total planning manager jobs:	21
Average annual salary:	$95,278
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$69,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$130,000
Location quotient:	2.77

2. Pittsburgh, PA

Total planning manager jobs:	21
Average annual salary:	$107,460
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$76,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$151,000
Location quotient:	2.40

3. New Orleans, LA

Total planning manager jobs:	6
Average annual salary:	$107,682
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$77,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$150,000
Location quotient:	2.27

4. Seattle, WA

Total planning manager jobs:	57
Average annual salary:	$110,973
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$78,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$157,000
Location quotient:	2.34

5. Durham, NC

Total planning manager jobs:	9
Average annual salary:	$99,660
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$71,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$137,000
Location quotient:	1.91

6. Oakland, CA

Total planning manager jobs:	7
Average annual salary:	$122,465
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$85,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$175,000
Location quotient:	2.53

7. Gilbert, AZ

Total planning manager jobs:	3
Average annual salary:	$99,373
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$70,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$139,000
Location quotient:	4.29

8. Detroit, MI

Total planning manager jobs:	10
Average annual salary:	$113,181
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$79,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$160,000
Location quotient:	1.64

9. Milwaukee, WI

Total planning manager jobs:	12
Average annual salary:	$97,346
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$69,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$136,000
Location quotient:	2.11

10. Newark, NJ

Total planning manager jobs:	12
Average annual salary:	$111,255
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$78,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$157,000
Location quotient:	3.57

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Best cities for planning managers

Nashville, TN
Pittsburgh, PA
New Orleans, LA
Seattle, WA
Durham, NC
Oakland, CA
Gilbert, AZ
Detroit, MI
Milwaukee, WI
Newark, NJ

(21 planning manager jobs)
(21 planning manager jobs)
(6 planning manager jobs)
(57 planning manager jobs)
(9 planning manager jobs)
(7 planning manager jobs)
(3 planning manager jobs)
(10 planning manager jobs)
(12 planning manager jobs)
(12 planning manager jobs)

Detailed list of the best cities for a planning manager

Rank	City	Average salary	Lowest 10% Earn	Population	Job count
1	Nashville, TN	$95,278	$69,000	660,388	21
2	Pittsburgh, PA	$107,460	$76,000	303,625	21
3	New Orleans, LA	$107,682	$77,000	391,495	6
4	Seattle, WA	$110,973	$78,000	704,352	57
5	Durham, NC	$99,660	$71,000	263,016	9
6	Oakland, CA	$122,465	$85,000	420,005	7
7	Gilbert, AZ	$99,373	$70,000	237,133	3
8	Detroit, MI	$113,181	$79,000	672,795	10
9	Milwaukee, WI	$97,346	$69,000	595,047	12
10	Newark, NJ	$111,255	$78,000	281,764	12
11	San Francisco, CA	$122,727	$85,000	870,887	65
12	Columbus, OH	$97,256	$69,000	860,090	19
13	San Jose, CA	$121,849	$85,000	1,025,350	44
14	Fremont, CA	$122,084	$85,000	233,136	12
15	Philadelphia, PA	$109,471	$77,000	1,567,872	19
16	Cleveland, OH	$98,234	$69,000	385,809	6
17	Indianapolis, IN	$93,050	$66,000	855,164	23
18	Memphis, TN	$92,571	$67,000	652,717	8
19	Chandler, AZ	$99,406	$70,000	247,477	6
20	Fresno, CA	$118,638	$82,000	522,053	4
21	Stockton, CA	$121,285	$84,000	307,072	2
22	Fort Worth, TX	$92,263	$66,000	854,113	17
23	Garland, TX	$91,353	$65,000	234,943	2
24	Raleigh, NC	$99,672	$72,000	458,880	10
25	Portland, OR	$101,930	$72,000	639,863	23
26	Oklahoma City, OK	$97,029	$70,000	638,367	7
27	Las Vegas, NV	$90,176	$63,000	632,912	23
28	Bakersfield, CA	$115,307	$81,000	376,380	3
29	Long Beach, CA	$111,532	$79,000	470,130	6
30	Austin, TX	$94,384	$67,000	947,890	36
31	Glendale, AZ	$99,552	$71,000	245,895	1
32	Fort Wayne, IN	$94,139	$67,000	264,488	2
33	Phoenix, AZ	$99,518	$71,000	1,615,017	21
34	Houston, TX	$94,175	$67,000	2,303,482	46
35	Reno, NV	$94,112	$65,000	245,255	3
36	Charlotte, NC	$98,111	$71,000	842,051	12
37	Tulsa, OK	$96,933	$70,000	403,090	2
38	New York, NY	$101,265	$71,000	8,537,673	215
39	Greensboro, NC	$99,176	$71,000	287,027	-
40	Winston-Salem, NC	$98,923	$71,000	242,203	-
41	Los Angeles, CA	$112,080	$79,000	3,976,322	47
42	Irvine, CA	$111,124	$78,000	266,122	16
43	Cincinnati, OH	$96,081	$69,000	298,800	-
44	Toledo, OH	$97,152	$68,000	278,508	-
45	Sacramento, CA	$121,084	$84,000	495,234	6
46	Tucson, AZ	$99,069	$70,000	530,706	3
47	Louisville, KY	$87,973	$63,000	597,337	6
48	Boston, MA	$103,874	$73,000	673,184	25
49	Madison, WI	$96,352	$68,000	252,551	-
50	Lubbock, TX	$93,112	$66,000	252,506	1

Highest paying cities for planning managers

Rank	City	Avg. planning manager salary
1	San Francisco, CA	$122,727
2	Detroit, MI	$113,181
3	Newark, NJ	$111,255
4	Seattle, WA	$110,973
5	Philadelphia, PA	$109,471
6	Boston, MA	$103,874
7	Beaverton, OR	$102,045
8	New York, NY	$101,265
9	Raleigh, NC	$99,672
10	Phoenix, AZ	$99,518
11	Cleveland, OH	$98,234
12	Milwaukee, WI	$97,346
13	Austin, TX	$94,384
14	Washington, DC	$93,424
15	Indianapolis, IN	$93,050
16	Chicago, IL	$91,408
17	McLean, VA	$91,140
18	Las Vegas, NV	$90,176
19	Minneapolis, MN	$87,882
20	Jacksonville, FL	$87,002